Half to the smith



(No Model.) 2 sheetssheet 1.

T. MoHUG-H. REIARDING DEVICE POR WATER GLOSBT VALVES.

l UNITED STATES PATENT e OFFICE.

TIMOTHY MCIIUGH, OF IVAKEFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- HALF TOTHE SMITH du ANTHONY STOVE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

RETARDING DEVICE FORKWATER-CLOSET VALVES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 431,387, dated July 1,1890.

Application filed June 17, 1889. Serial No. 314,530. (No model.)

T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, TIMOTHY McI-IUeH, of Vakefield, in the county ofMiddlesex and State of h/Iassachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Retarding Devices for Tater-Closet Valves, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to valves for watercloset supply-tanks, and hasfor its object to provide a simple, effective, and easily-appliedattachment whereby the closing movement of such valves may be made asslow as may be desired, so that the wash may be of any desired duration.

The invention consists in a valve retarding or regulating apparatuscomprising a holder ladapted for attachment to awall or other suitablesupport, a longitudinallymovable rod passing through and guided by saidholder and connected wit-h the Valve by a chain or cord, so that amovement of said rod in one direction will raise the valve, an elasticdiaphragm secured to the rod and supported by the holder and arranged tobe displaced from its normal position by the movement of the rod whichopens the valve, the displacement of the diaphragm causing adisplacement of air, which must be replaced before the diaphragm canresume its normal position, and an airpassage having an adjusting devicewhereby the movement of air required to permit the return of thediaphragm to its normal position may be made as slow or rapid as may bedesired, the closing movement of the valve corresponding to the movementof the diaphragm in resuming its normal position.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification,Figures-l and 2 represent vertical sections of my improved retardingdevice, Fig. 1 showing the diaphragm in its normal position, as when thevalve is closed, while Fig. 2 shows the diaphragm displaced, as when thevalve is open. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of a supply-tank andmy improved device connected with the valve thereof. Figs. 4 and 5represent a'modiiication.

The same letters of reference indicato the same parts in all theiigures.

In the drawings, a represents a metallic holder, which is preferablycup-shaped or hemispherical and attached to or formed on a bracket a',which is adapted to be attached to a wall or other support.

b Arepresents a rod, which passes through and is adapted to slidelongitudinally in a guiding-orifice formed for it in the holder a. Saidrod is provided at one end with a handle o and at its other end with ahook j or other` means for engagement with a chain c, which connects therod with a valve o in a supplytank't, said valve and tank and the meansfor guiding the chain to the valve, so that a downward movement oftherod will raise the valve, being too well known to require detaileddescription and'illustration here.

CZ represents a diaphragm, made of yielding rubber or other4suitaloly-elastic material and secured to the rod b, preferably, bycollars or shoulders 7c m on the rod, between which the margin of anorifice formed in the diaphragm is sprung to make an air-tightconnection. The diaphragm is suitably supported by the holder a, so thatmovement of the rod b in the direction required to open the valve o willdisplace the diaphragm from its normal position, the valve being closedonly when the diaphragm is in its normal position. An air-chamber u isprovided at one side cf the diaphragm, and said chamber communicateswith the external air when the diaphragm is returning to its normalposition and the valve n is closing th rough a passage b', which is hereshown as formed in the rod I). Said passage is provided with anadjusting device, here shown as ascrew h, to regulate the rapidity ot`the iiow of air through said passage. The diaphragm can only return toits normal position as fast as it is permitted by the flow of airthrough the passage h; hence the closing movement of the valve may bemade more or less rapid by adjusting the screw 7i to permit a more orless rapid flow of air through the passage.

In Figs. l and 2 the diaphragm is shown as made in the form of a hollowball, the lower portion of which bears on the holder, the rod b beingVengaged with the upper portion of said ball. The air-chamber a is inthis case the interior of the ball. Vhen the rod b is moved to open thevalve, as shown in Fig. 2, air is expelled from said air-chamber by thedisplacement ot' the diaphragm, and when the ICO rod h is released thediaphragm returns to place as fast as the inflow of air into the ball orair-chamber through the passage b will permit. I prefer to provide theair-chamber with an air-tube d, having a valve d', which is arranged toopen and permit a rapid escape of air from the chamber when' thediaphragm is being displaced, but` closes and prevents the admission ofair through the tube c when the diaphragm is returning to its normalposition. Said tube c also serves to clamp the ball which constitutesthe diaphragm against the holder a, the tube having a flange at itsinner end bearing on the inner surface of the ball, while its body isthreaded and engaged with an internally-threaded nipple o on the holder.The lower portion of the ball-shaped diaphragm is provided with anorifice, through which the rod b passes, and the margin of said orificehugs the rod so closely as to prevent the passage of air around the rod,so that no stufling-box is required around the rod. The holder a isshown as provided with a cover d, which gives the holder a sphericalshape. Said cover is not absolutely essential, however, as the device,as shown in Figs. l and 2, will operate as well Without it. The screw 71which regulates the flow of air through the passage b', is provided witha jam-nut t', which is turned against the end of the rod l) after thescrew has been adjusted and prevents accidental adjustment of the screw.

In Figs. l and 5 the ydiaphragm (l is a disk, which is engaged at itscenter with the rod Z) and is clamped at its margin to the holder d.Said holder has a cap or cover a arranged over the diaphragm, and theair-chamber u is between said cap or cover and the diaphragm. Air istherefore drawn into the air-chamber when the rod b is moved to open thevalve and displace the diaphragm, and when the diaphragm is returning toplace its movement is governed by the rapidity of the escape of air fromthe air-chamber through the passage b. The cover d may be provided withan inwardly-opening valve o to permit the rapid entrance of air into theair-chamber when the diaphragm is being displaced, said valve beingarranged to close when the diaphragm is returning to place, so that aircan escape only through the passage b. The cover should have astuffing-box y to prevent the escape of air around the rod b when thediaphragm is returning to its normal position. It will be seen that by aslight movement of the screw h the rate of the closing movement of thevalve can be varied, and that said movement may be made as fast or asslow as circumstances may require.

I claiml. The herein-described improved retardin g device for awater-closet valve, comprising a Xed holder, an operating-rod passedthrough said holder and connected to the water-closet valve, a diaphragmlocatedin said holder and connected to said rod, and a passage-way insaid rod connecting the external air with an inner chamber at one sideof said diaphragm, substantially as set forth.

2. The herein-described improved retarding device for a water-closetvalve, comprising a fixed holder, a diaphragm located in and secured tosaid holder, the operating-rod passed through said holder, having apassage-way formed therein and opening on one side of said diaphragm,which is connected to said rod, and the adjustable screw working in theupper end of said rod for controlling the flow ot air through saidpassage, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a holder adapted forattachment to a fixed support, a rod adapted to slide in said holder, anelastic diaphragm composed of a hollow ball secured at a given point tothe rod (which passes through the ball) and at another point to theholder, the air-passage in the rod connecting the interior of the ballwith the external air, and the adjusting device whereby the iiow of airthrough said passage may be regulated.

4l. The combination, substantially as set forth, of a holder adapted forattachment to a fixed support, a rod adapted to slide in said holder, anelastic diaphragm composed of a hollow ball secured at a given point tothe rod (which passes through the ball) and at another point to theholder, the air-passage in the rod connecting the interior of the ballrwith the external air, the adj usting-screw engaged with the rod andadapted to regulate the iiow of air through said passage, and thelock-nut i on said screw, whereby the latter may be secured at anyposition to which it may be adjusted.

5. rlhe combination, substantially as set forth, ot' a fixed holder, arod adapted to slide IOC in said holder, an elastic diaphragm composedof a hollow ball secured at a given point to the rod which passesthrough said ball, the lower air-tube connecting said diaphragm to theholder, the valve located in said tube, the air-passage in the rodconnecting the interior of the ball with the external air, and theadjustingscrew for regulating the iiow of air through said passage,substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses, this 12th day ot' June, A. D.1889.

TIMOTHY MCHUGH.

lVitnesses:

C. F. BROWN,

A. D. HARRISON.

